“She has the whole package. … This girl is nasty. She might be beautiful on the outside, but she’s a Diaz brother on the inside. She’s a real fighter and real talented. She has the credentials and the pedigree. And she has the ‘it’ factor. I think she’s going to be a big superstar.”

Terms of the deal, as well as a debut date and opponent, were not disclosed.

Rousey (6-0 MMA, 4-0 SF), an Olympic bronze-medal judoka, likely will become the UFC’s women’s bantamweight championship as her title changes promotions. As of now, she’s the only confirmed female fighter signed to the organization.

Rousey, in just a short window of time, has taken the MMA world by storm. She ran through three amateur opponents with first-round armbars, and she did the same to her first four pro opponents.

She then got a title shot in March against then-Strikeforce champ Miesha Tate, and though Tate lasted longer than all of Rousey’s previous opponents combined, she still was forced to tap to a first-round arm bar. In her first title defense back in August, Rousey also submitted Sarah Kaufman – by armbar – in less than a minute.

Many fans are eager for a fight between Rousey and fellow notable Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos, who was stripped of her title and issued a yearlong suspension following a failed drug test (steroids) this past December. But Santos has been hesitant to drop from 145 pounds, where she was Strikeforce’s champion, at her doctors’ urging.

Rousey’s move comes amid rumors of Strikeforce’s likely demise following a final show on Jan. 12. Rousey isn’t scheduled to compete at the event, which features three other champions from the promotion.

For more on the UFC’s upcoming schedule, stay tuned to the UFC Rumors section of the site.

From Our Partners

The Latest

As the UFC 189 tour made its last stop in Dublin, featherweight champ Jose Aldo was met with a torrent of abuse from the Irish fans. It might have been unpleasant, but it might also have been just what he needed.